[OutPost] GM Irish202 #09-07: Salvation of the Sages (Inactive)

Game Master Irish202

"Something terrible has happened in the past in the Memory Extraction Room. Let's go there first!"

Having done what he hopes is enough for a their return trip, Barnaby quickly hurries out of the flooding chamber as it begins to ready itself again.

Odd level of enthusiasm about that. he says to Psycho, but still moves to the north. Overeager or not, the pychic's impressions feel right.

"You do not need to listen to me, I'm just a little wheel in this group, Barnaby."

Radek grunts. "The way south is secured by the door, so north it is. I be hearin' some sorta drippin' sound from there. We might be able te circumvent the trap room goin' that way, an' see wha' lies beyond as well."

If the room ahead doesn't seem trapped and none of the spellcasters believe the liquid on the floor is harmful, Radek leads the way further in, his dwarven eyes casting about for signs of any danger. He will take a closer look at the crystal array linked together by bone and gold wires, though the ranger is careful not to touch anything.

Cassandra will take a few moments to check for magic in the next room before entering.

Psycho also looks in to the northern room.

know arcana: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (13) + 15 = 28
perception: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (9) + 12 = 21

Perception Check DRR: 1d20 + 22 ⇒ (13) + 22 = 35 (+2 bonus for stonework)
Includes +4 for Underground Favored Terrain

Forgot if you like us to roll these or if you'd rather do them. I'll go ahead and roll just in case...

The group's search of the room does not reveal any additional information until they come within 5 feet of the plates before the apparatus. A blurry scintillation manifests in the air above each of the plates as the golden wires begin letting off a low grade humming noise.

"Careful everyone. Those distortions will extract your memories. If we can adjust the apparatus we can use it to view memories instead. Casters take care. I felt something when I used Detect Magic."

Mr. Madison withdraws his wand once more and cast with a flick of his wrist. Bestow Grace

I have heard of these mindscapes. They can be dangerous places, limited only by the imagination of their creator. I intend to explore this mindscape if we can find a way in.

Barnaby looks at Mr. Madison. From what I've heard of these, getting 'in's as simply as walking into the blur. But hold off a bit: unless you want your head taken out and put in that thing too, I think the settings'll need to be reversed.

Barnaby walks forwards carefully, avoiding getting too close to the shimmering 'entryway' as he tries to reverse the apparatus' 'mode'

Would try Spellcraft to move it to retrieval mode. Between buffs and Inspiration it'll be at +22+1d6+2 (the last two being from the half-elf favored class option for Inspiration)

Barnaby walks forwards carefully, avoiding getting too close to the shimmering 'entryway' as he tries to reverse the apparatus' 'mode

With some minor adjustments to the array on the wall, the scintillations waver for a couple moments and stabilize. It is definitely apparent that something has changed.

"If you wish to investigate, I will remain here to learn more about this device and watch over your bodies," Tahonikepsu says as she gazes as the apparatus. "It will surely be an interesting experience, but I do not know what effect it will have upon my sage jewel, so it would better for me to merely observe."

"Shall we?"

Radek's eyes narrow. "What exactly is goin' te happen if'n I step into this 'mindscape'? I don' want te have me mind blown out through me ears if'n things go bad." The dwarf is not entirely against the idea, but he wants some idea of what he's getting himself into here. Will he be able to defend himself against attacks? What dangers are there in the mindscape?

No idea of what this is myself as a player, so figure this is for a bit more information, if anyone else or the GM can impart it.

Radek's eyes narrow. "What exactly is goin' te happen if'n I step into this 'mindscape'? I don' want te have me mind blown out through me ears if'n things go bad." The dwarf is not entirely against the idea, but he wants some idea of what he's getting himself into here. Will he be able to defend himself against attacks? What dangers are there in the mindscape?

Sorry, Easter and family stuff

Hard to promise Barnaby says bluntly. He looks at Radek. Some 'scapes are essentially just open fields for mind-fights. But if this is meant to keep memories, likely an immersive. You go in - well, onto the Astral Plane but you get my point - and can see things, maybe even interact with them. Of course while some are harmless, others can actually have things hurt you in there. And the trickiest ones make it hard to tell you're even in one at all. The half-elf looks at the twisted machinery and grimaces. Based on what we've seen so far, I wouldn't expect the nice kind. Be prepared.

Before we step in, Barnaby, do you mind taking a look at the device? Then we go in.

The dwarf growls. "Not sure I be likin' th' idea o' this. If all of us be dreamin', then nobody but Tahon 'ere will be awake te protect us. Think I might be stayin' right 'ere wit' my eyes open an' me mind me own."

Not sure if this is meant to be a party encounter or the like in OOC terms, but I think Radek would have some problems in jumping into a mindscape. And ICly, what the heck would happen if our unprotected bodies were attacked while we were all catatonic? I'll play this one by ear as the dialogue continues, but at the moment Radek will hesitate to partake of this mindscape nonsense.

Jing Kwan turns to Tiny and says.."You will stay out here with Tahonikepsu and protect everyone from harm. If we don't awake within one hour or we are attacked out here in real life, you are to awaken me first, then defend us, second."

NOTE: please see discusion tab.

Tiny tightens the grip on his greatsword and say, "As you command, Master. I will not fail you"

It is my assumption so far that everyone but Tiny and Radek will be entering the mindscape. Feel free to correct as needed. Nudging things along.

Further inspection of the apparatus does not reveal any additonal information beyond its general memory-based functions. No particular traps are detected on the device.

For those that wish to enter the mindscape created by the apparatus, simply stepping into the blurry scintillation is sufficient. To the eyes of any onlookers, it simply appears that one's body simply slowly slumps to the ground after they enter the blur. But for those that enter, there is an intense flash of light, combined with a sensation of of disorientation and vertigo. These last briefly, clearing to reveal a misty landscape dotted with several buildings rising from the fog. Looking upon these structures, they appear to be the ruined buildings of Resa; but as they originally were hundreds of years ago. Beyond their newer appearance, the only other visible difference is that the doorways to these buildings are made of misty curtains instead of actual doors.

Striding amongst these buildings appears to be a a large sized humanoid creature clothed in silken trousers and a vibrantly colored vest that does little to conceal a heavily muscled chest. The muted light from a sun obscured behind the mists highlights glints of purple crystal and stone colored skin, possibly hinting at an otherworldly ancestry. This creature does not appear to notice anyone's arrival in the mindscape.

Walking straight out to the mysterious figure, Mr. Madison presents himself and makes a short bow. Provided that the figure does not appear hostile, Mr. Madison will begin conjuring an illusion, silent image. The image will coallesce and depict the story of our time here thus far.

Psycho stands in silence while MR. Madison does his thing.

OMG where are we?!

Cassandra observes quietly as Mr. Madison makes his presentation, watching to see if his audience turns hostile.

The creature turns around abruptly, looking startled at Mr. Madison's approach. He tenses up as silent image is cast, though it relaxes slightly as the spell appears to just be a storytelling medium. The creature, towering above Mr. Madison in height, moves to sit down leisurely in front of the illusion. A broad smile cracks across his face, revealing a row of white crystalline teeth.

"Your magics provide an entertaining diversion, little man!" the creature says in a deep, resounding voice with what sounds like a mix between a Qadiran and Osirion accent. "It appears you and your friends are new 'guests' of Tahari's, yes? Hopefully your stay is less...permanent...than mine? I am called Marouf, imprisoned here by the Black Moon long ago for refusing to grant her what she sought. A bad decison apparently, wouldn't you say?" Marouf says with an expansive gesture towards the misty village around him.

A pleasure to meet you, how long have you been here? Mr. Madison asks with a smile on his face. I am a bit surprised that you speak our language.

"Perhaps not so bad considering what we have seen of her work. How did you come to be trapped here?"

Barnaby gives the 'host' a nod. Marouf. Nice to meet you as well Pasha. What exactly was it that the Black Moon wanted from you before you...declined. the half-elf looks around. And what is this place? Old Resa?

A pleasure to meet you, how long have you been here? Mr. Madison asks with a smile on his face. I am a bit surprised that you speak our language.

"Centuries? Millenia?" Marouf says as he looks out upon the unchanging misty landscape. "Time does not flow the same here as it does on the Material. It certainly feels like an eternity to me, yes? Language is no barrier here, friend!" His gaze turns back to Mr. Madison. "As long as there is a memory of speech, so can we understand each other, yes?"

"Perhaps not so bad considering what we have seen of her work. How did you come to be trapped here?"

"Amongst my kind, our souls and bodies are one. Tahari drained all my memories, my soul, into this...place. And such, now I am here. Forever." Marouf says, with a wistful tone of regret.

Barnaby gives the 'host' a nod. Marouf. Nice to meet you as well Pasha. What exactly was it that the Black Moon wanted from you before you...declined. the half-elf looks around. And what is this place? Old Resa?

Marouf nods graciously at the appellation. "What does any aspiring mage desire? Power. Such destruction she would have wrought, with her intentions to spread endless plagues upon the land," he says with shrug. His gaze once again turns toward the numerous buildings. "This place is a collection of the memories and experiences Black Moon gathered from her victims. The vast majority of them came from...Resa, you call it? Hence, the forms you see before you. Would you like a tour?" Marouf asks, once again displaying his crystalline smile. "If anything, I am quite familiar with them. Watching these memories certainly passes the time..." he trails off, as if reminded of his fate.

"A tour would be a nice. Is there anything else you can tell us about Black Moon. After a long absence she has begun to trouble the world again."

Radek eyes the bodies of his allies warily as they appear to fall lifeless to the ground. The dwarf growls at Tahonikepsu. "Ye think they be alright? How long should we give 'em?"

"A tour would be a nice. Is there anything else you can tell us about Black Moon. After a long absence she has begun to trouble the world again."

"Ah, a blight upon this world she was. Tahari focused all of her skills upon infection and plague. She forsook much of the wizard's flashier arts; throwing fire or weaving shimmering shields held little interest for one such as her," Marouf muses as he strokes his stony chiny with a grinding noise. He breaks his reverie with a gesture back over the "town." "Nevertheless, if you wish to know more about the Black Moon, it may just be easier to show you! Many of these gathered memories hold events of individuals in her life, there could be useful things for you here."

Marouf will lead those interested closer to the "buildings" nearby. In total, there appear to be about nine buildings in all; each with a mark inscribed upon the lintel of the misty doorway into the building. The marks include the following:

1) A box with a water droplet inside
2) Several rows of wavy lines with a sun cresting them
3) A crossed crook and flail
4) Several stick figures around a table
5) A crude rendition of a castle or a palace of some kind
6) A small collection of tiny buildings
7) A potion flask
8) A set of manacles
9) A sarcophagus

For simplicity I will be referring to these buildings according to the numbers I have listed above. E.g. "Building 2."

"It is simple yes?," Marouf says while looking at the misty doorway to Building #5. "One merely passes through a doorway, and you enter the memory. Very vivid, very realistic. Similar to little man's illusions, no? Perhaps you can try this one first, I believe it has something about Black Moon in it."

Radek eyes the bodies of his allies warily as they appear to fall lifeless to the ground. The dwarf growls at Tahonikepsu. "Ye think they be alright? How long should we give 'em?"

Back in the chamber Tahonikepsu looks at the 'meditating' group members, some of which collapsed in rather uncomfortable looking positions on the plates. "I am moderately familiar with mindscapes, occurrences such as this are typical for fixed entryways like the one before you." Her form blurs as she shifts into her natural dragon form, taking the opportunity to stretch a bit in one of the more open rooms of the complex. She paces around a bit before settling down before the dwarf, but at a position to keep an eye on both the exit and the apparatus.

"As your summoner mentioned, perhaps checking with them in an hour may be best. I doubt it may do much good, however. In most cases one's wandering mind must return back out of the mindscape to their body; merely disturbing or jostling might not be sufficient to bring them back." Her gaze softens a bit, should this incur any worry on the dwarf's part. "Time is malleable in a mindscape, they may be back sooner than we expect." Tahonikepsu sweeps a claw across the floor to gather up some pebbles. With a shimmer in her eye, they waver and reform into tiny tokens not unlike chess pieces. She arranges them out in a grid in front of her. "A diversion, perhaps, to pass the time. Have you ever played senet? I could teach you, if you wish."

sense motive: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (7) + 11 = 18
Yes, Tiny has skill points in sense motive.

"I must watch my Master as commanded. Perhaps Radek will play."

Psycho is watching and listening Marouf, and wondered if he was telling the truth.

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (20) + 11 = 31

Mr. Madison walks forward and enters the building with the mark of a castle. He has decent experience with memories and it clearly a little excited.

Cassandra, a little wary, follows Mr. Madison

Mr. Madison walks forward and enters the building with the mark of a castle. He has decent experience with memories and it clearly a little excited.

Cassandra, a little wary, follows Mr. Madison

The pair enter into the misty doorway, disappearing from the view of those outside of the building.

Several moments after entering the building, Cassandra and Mr. Madison run out of the misty doorway they entered, mildly out of breath for some reason. Marouf smiles widely as he looks expectantly at the exiting duo. "Well, did you find out anything useful, friends?"

"Much of the same. She has quite the love of poisons."

Radek grins and nods. "Aye, a game te pass the time. Go on an' teach me, then." The dwarf is very aware of how enclosed spaces can affect an individual. He himself is unlike most of his kin, preferring the outdoors - even if most of his adventures and natural ability gives him a strong advantage over his foes when underground. If a game will help ease the dragon's mind and prove a diversion to himself while they wait, so much the better. "Keep a sharp eye out, tin man." Radek growls at Tiny, giving the dragon a wink.

Radek grins and nods. "Aye, a game te pass the time. Go on an' teach me, then."

Tahonikepsu gives off an almost palpable sense of relief. "Excellent. A brief moment," she says as she scratches the stone floor with her sharp claws quickly, making a grid with three rows of 10 squares each. In a practiced motion almost at odds with her current size, the makeshift tokens are arranged on the board. "Senet is a bit like a mix between the human's games of chess and checkers. The goal is to get your pieces off the board first. It gets a bit complicated when including fortune squares, so let's go with the simple version for now..."

Radek, feel free to make any skill/ability check you feel appropriate to reflect your play style. We'll see where it goes from there.

"Much of the same. She has quite the love of poisons."

Marouf frowns slightly. "Ah, my apologies. I was not sure how aware you were of her...habits," he says as he once again begins stroking his stony chin. "While I can certainly make suggestions," Marouf muses as he gestures towards Building #4, "Perhaps you should investigate where your fancy takes you. I am sure there is insight somewhere in here that will aid you in the future."

Going into each of these buildings individually will take forever and a day, so I am going to spoiler the less "vivid" memories to speed things up. If you wish to enter a building without a spoiler listed, indicate so and I will open it up for you.

1) A box with a water droplet inside

5) A crude rendition of a castle or a palace of some kind

Assuming those descriptors are vague images in the mist.

Barnaby glances into the obscured doors as he paces nervously through the village. We need to figure out what Tahari was doing before she died. We get what Black Moon wanted then, we can see what she's doing now.

After a pause, the half-elf takes a deep breath and heads into the building showing a 'potion flask'...

--

Emerging a minute later, Barnaby looks to the others. There's a frown on his face, but he seems invigorated.

Weren't kidding Cassandra. It looks like she almost thought of her little viruses and poisons as part of her. Dozens of parts of her.

The detective glances towards the 'sarcophagus' one and moves towards it. Wonder if this'll explains what that dragon was...

After entering and exiting Nope. I guess we weren't the only ones to find her little hideaway down below.

After visiting most of the buildings

"I think the table next and finish with the droplet."

4 then 1

Mr. Madison will join Cassandra in rooms 4 and 1 and will check out the others as well. Mr. Madison ventures into each of the rooms in succession. Memories are a fickle place and he finds the experience quite exciting.

Assuming those descriptors are vague images in the mist.

There are marks on the doorframes. But that is a nice, eerie feature for a mindscape; so that too!

"I think the table next and finish with the droplet."

Mr. Madison will join Cassandra in rooms 4 and 1 and will check out the others as well.

As Mr. Madison and Cassandra finish up exploring the final two memories, Marouf smiles expansively at the group. "Well, it looks like you have seen all that this place has to offer! Hopefully this has been a worthy, useful venture for you all, yes? I suppose you are ready to leave now? I can show you a secret exit from this place, a back door Black Moon built into this cursed place if she wanted to leave." Marouf looks momentarily sorrowful at the suggestion of the group leaving. "I cannot use the exit, since my entire being was drained here, but perhaps you all can make use of it."

"Truly a terrible woman. Marouf, is there any way to release you?"